Cate Blanchett in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine"Today is Cate Blanchett's birthday and since we just celebrated her Oscar-winning altar ego Katharine Hepburn, why not extend the love? As longtime readers know I have been notoriously cool on the Aussie star over the years equating her work with the kind of "click click click" technique-first acting that Meryl Streep was sometimes discredited for early on. But since I actually think it's interesting to hear other people talk about their favorite perfromances from actors they don't naturally respond to, I hope it will be interesting to you to hear the things I do love about Cate the to-others Great. Cate was EVERYWHERE throughout the Aughts aggravating me with her ubiquity (I have issues with this in general, I know. It's not just Cate but Hollywood's tendency, especially in the past decade, to put the same actors in every movie and wear me out on them) but after four relatively Blanchett-sparse years (2009-2012) wherein she was only doing cameos or that Robin Hood no one liked, I am actually excited to see her again. Which is a relief because they'll be no escaping her again soon...
She's coming back in a major way over the next 24 months with new pictures on the way from Terrence Malick, Woody Allen, George Clooney, and Peter Jackson. She'll cap off that new flush of activity with a blockbuster-hopeful evil queen showstopper in Kenneth Branagh's production of Cinderella.
Here are the ten Blanchett performances of which I am most fond...
I have not seen everything (Charlotte Gray, Veronica Guerin and Oscar and Lucindaare major misses) and a few roles she was greatly lauded for I do not like her in AT ALL (The Shipping News, Elizabeth: The Golden Age) and it's possible I'm misremembering my affections but here we go.
10 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and/or Hanna (2011)
Over the top, sure. But at least she shows no fear of heights.
09 The Good German (2008)
So photogenic that sometimes the pose is enough.
08 Notes on a Scandal (2007)
Egregious abuse of category fraud, damn her. But even if I never 100% bought her in this role, there are definitely strong moments in this star turn as a flaky sexually reckless school teacher. Perhaps I'd love the performance more if Judi Dench weren't doing the best work of her career in the same film, absolutely owning the duet.
07 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
Galadriel. She passes the test!
06/05 Heaven (2002) and The Man Who Cried (2000)
The former was a rare moment where she flirted with being an auteur vessel... something she should try more often. The latter was the peak, for me, of her screen beauty and magnetism. I don't remember the performance (or film) well thirteen years later but remember not being able to look away from her face in enigmatic close-up
and the clear favorites
04 Elizabeth (1998)
The Promising Newcomer. This wasn't quite the arrival of a fully formed screen giant for me the way it was for many (I was rooting for Montenegro in the Oscar race but was fine with Gwyneth's win), but there was no denying the arrival of someone truly talented.
03 I'm Not There (2007)
The Transcendent Stunt. I expected to be unwowed by this. I tried to resist on the grounds of gimmick but I think she's bewitching in it.
02 The Aviator (2004)
The Divisive One. Some people think her Kate is all affect and no soul. But Katharine Hepburn herself sometimes performed Katharine Hepburn so... I found this impression riveting and it makes for a worthy Oscar win even if it wasn't the best from that particular year (my honor went to Virginia Madsen, her chief rival, for Sideways).
01 The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
The Sly Support. I remember loving her so much in this - just absurdly endearing. Will it (and she) hold up again for me when I watch it tomorrow for "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"?
Yours? Are you happy to have her back this year... or was Galadriel enough for you recently?